Sausage Balls with Sharp Cheddar and Sour Cream
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Sharp cheddar you grate yourself, a little sour cream, and sausage worked into a soft dough that bakes up tender. The dog parks by the oven for all twenty minutes, and so does half the family.
The short version
Mix baking mix, grated sharp cheddar and sour cream, work in raw sausage, scoop into balls and bake at 350°F for 18 to 22 minutes. Eat warm, or freeze them raw and bake from the freezer.
What makes ours better
what we fixed so you don’t have to
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Grate the cheddar yourself. Bagged shredded cheese is coated to keep it from clumping, which keeps it from melting into the dough. Cheese from a block blends in and bakes up golden.
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Add sour cream. Classic sausage balls can bake up dry. A cup of sour cream brings moisture and a little tang, so the balls stay tender even after they cool.
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Season the dough with mustard and garlic. Dry mustard and garlic powder bring a savory edge that makes plain sausage and cheese taste sharper.
What you need
the usual suspects
- Sharp cheddar8 ounces
- Dry mustard½ teaspoon
- Sour cream1 cup
- Bulk pork breakfast sausage1 pound
yes, all of the butter
Steps
nobody opens the oven door. looking at you, Dad.
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Heat the oven, line the pan
Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Use two sheets if you have them.
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Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, stir together the baking mix, cheddar, dry mustard, garlic powder and green onion until the cheese is evenly coated in mix.
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Add the sour cream
Add the sour cream and stir with a spatula until you have a thick, shaggy dough with no dry patches.
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Work in the sausage
Add the sausage in chunks. Mix with your hands, squeezing, just until everything is evenly combined and no streaks of sausage remain.
Stop as soon as it's mixed. Overworking makes the balls tough.
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Scoop the balls
Scoop with a 1½-tablespoon cookie scoop, or roll into 1½-inch balls, and set them 1 inch apart on the pan. They will settle a little as they bake.
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Bake until golden
Bake until the balls are deep golden on top and brown on the bottom, 18 to 22 minutes. Cut one open to check that the middle shows no pink; an instant-read thermometer should read 160°F. Rest on the pan for 5 minutes before serving.
About 20 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
Good to know
things I learned the hard way, so you can skip that part
- Cold sausage is stiff and hard to mix. Let it stand at room temperature for 20 minutes first.
- Serve with honey mustard, ranch or hot honey for dipping. Balls hold well on a warm tray for an hour.
- To freeze before baking, place the scooped balls on a lined sheet until solid, then bag them. Bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 5 to 8 minutes.
- Larger balls are fine. Go by the color and the 160°F center, and plan on about 25 minutes.
- Storage. Cooled and covered, 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. Reheat at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes, or microwave for 20 to 30 seconds each.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
Why are my sausage balls dry?
Usually too much baking mix for the amount of sausage, or bagged cheese that doesn't melt in. Measure the mix and grate cheese by hand. The sour cream helps.
Can I make sausage balls without baking mix?
This recipe relies on the flour, leavening and fat already blended into a baking mix, so use one. Plain flour would need added baking powder, salt and fat, and the ratios here won't work.
Can I make sausage balls ahead?
Yes. Scoop them and freeze the raw balls on a sheet pan, then bag them. Bake straight from the freezer, adding a few minutes. They also reheat well once baked.
Why did my sausage balls spread flat?
The dough was too wet, or the sausage was very fatty. Measure the sour cream and choose a standard bulk breakfast sausage. A cold dough also holds its shape better.
How do I know sausage balls are done?
The tops are deep golden, the bottoms brown, and the center reads 160°F. They should feel firm when you press one.
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Published October 29, 2026.